Johnson said the federal government has already taken steps to reduce the deportation time for adults crossing alone at the border and is working to reduce the time for adults with children and also kids by themselves.

The immigration dilemma has come to the forefront of public attention as migrants fleeing poverty and violence from Central America, including many children without their parents, have crossed the U.S. border.

Unlike Mexican migrants who are deported immediately upon arrest, those from Central America must first be processed and then given a month to report to an immigration office.

Many of course don’t show and contribute to the nation’s now-estimated 11 million undocumented immigrant population.

The federal government estimates about 60,000 to 80,000 children will cross the border without parents this year, creating an urgent need for the government to provide shelter. Johnson said the government is already working hard to address the crisis.

“I think we need to find more effective, efficient ways to turn this tide around generally and we've already begun to do that,” Johnson said.

Gov. Rick Perry of Texas, a state on the front lines of this dilemma, said President Barack Obama isn’t doing nearly enough.

“I don't believe he particularly cares whether or not the border of the United States is secure, and that's the reason there's been this lack of effort, this lack of focus, this lack of resources,” Perry said on ABC’s “This Week.”

Johnson said while much can be done on the U.S. side to control the influx, he also had a message for immigrants thinking about crossing the border or sending their children on their own in hopes for a better life.

“We have to do right by the children but at the end of the day, in the final analysis, our border is not open to illegal migration, and we will stem the tide,” Johnson said.

soundoff(138 Responses)

Sip That Kool Aid, It's All You're Good For.

How, by you chewing the hell out of your hand? The only way to stem this influx of immigrants is to make sure they have opportunities in their own countries, and safety from violence brought on by street gangs. Poverty, seems to be an underlying force behind the peole wanting to get here, but try not to lower our way of life to make it as bad as where they come from. Try to raise their living standards, not lower ours.

July 6, 2014 11:54 pm at 11:54 pm |

Steve Allen

We have to do right by the children but at the end of the day, in the final analysis, our border is not open to illegal migration, and we will stem the tide,” Johnson said.

Only have the population starts demonstrating against allowing immigrants in circumventing the immigration process.
If the Obama administration speeds up the immigration process instead of closing the borders, there will be full scale revolt of the citizens against a government who isn't for the citizens.

July 7, 2014 12:08 am at 12:08 am |

Happy

Obama will no doubt make a Federal Law that "everyone", no matter who they are or where they come from, who steps one foot across the border into the United States will be an automatic, immediate CITIZEN of our country!

July 7, 2014 12:08 am at 12:08 am |

jkw

Final thought of the night. How do you stop a person from leaping to possible death from a 10 story window when the flames of death are lapping at their heels? The reason I ask this question is this analogy fits what is happening today. How do you stop women and children risking death to come to the U.S. if they are certain that they are leaving death behind? There are only two answers....You remove the certainty of death or you make them face a threat worse than death itself. It's not an immigration problem. It's an understanding problem.

July 7, 2014 12:29 am at 12:29 am |

Anonymous

Homeland Security chief: ‘We’re going to stem this tide’ of illegal immigration after the election. The democrats need the illegal vote.

July 7, 2014 12:30 am at 12:30 am |

scorpiodude

Story sez-"Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson said Sunday the Obama administration will take steps to
fix the nation’s broken immigration system, even without the help of Congress."

I Say-IMO, with all those thousands of illegal alien kids/parents just waltzing across the mexican border into the
U.S., it appears that Obuma has already taken illegal steps to do just that.

July 7, 2014 12:53 am at 12:53 am |

roselyn tosetti

Seal the border. It can be done easily so why all this made up stuff about we're going to stem the tide. Just do it!

July 7, 2014 01:18 am at 1:18 am |

Hardluck

The next flood of children will come from China, India and South Korea. They have witness that all is required is passage for a child and upon arrival we give then a free pass. The West Coast airports will be the landing beaches. They also value America and want their children raised her by a relative.

July 7, 2014 02:29 am at 2:29 am |

Thor

Los Angeles, California is now Mexico's second largest city.

July 7, 2014 03:12 am at 3:12 am |

rob

What a bunch of crap. I called my reps and told them they are all in violation of their oath of office and should just go home and resign as they are not doing their job. I also told them that we should just put the Militia on the border then not one of these illegals would get over the fence. Or put the Guard there with shoot to wound orders shoot one or two and the rest will learn and if mexico does not like it then tough crap, also put a few gun ships on the border so if the mexican military decides to invade our airspace again shoot them down.

July 7, 2014 04:09 am at 4:09 am |

chris

how many a month?
just children??? Just those 'caught'??
so the other numbers running thru the border right now are 10x that,min...
are we being 'bum rushed' at the border??..
i am ignorant, perhaps a safer passage for kid this way...easier for everyone,no?
huge grocery stores in spanish, no attempt to learn english, etc...
many seem to hate white's,blacks,etc....just saying... i live south
guy sleeping in car out in front of house... no english...... sleeping wherever in tinted suv..
begin to wonder.... what about gangs..... ms 13, etc? capable of armed like an army, no?
this is only documented numbers, 10 x going right thru an not 'checking in'....
an funny how so many fight about politics... you are doing just what they want you to do,.. 30 posts about politics, but one about story...... chuno?

July 7, 2014 05:02 am at 5:02 am |

NATHAN WIMBERLY

Guns Over People teatards,as usual, have no solution.

July 7, 2014 06:56 am at 6:56 am |

brownbuttonglutton

All BS. 0bama has been running ads in these countries encouraging these invaders to jump the border.